Solderless connector



. Feb. 18, 1941. w. T. ALLEN SOLDERLESS commcwon Filed Feb. 26, 1940 IINVENTOR Wallace H/Ien ATT RN Patented Feb. 18, 1941 somnannss CONNECTOR Wallace T. Allen, Royal Oak, Micln, assignor to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application February 26, 1940, Serial No. 320,327 6 Claims. (or. 173-259) This invention relates to connectors for electric conductors and has for its object the provision of an improved, simple and economical form of connector of the solderless type adapted to receive a large variety of sizes of wires.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a solderless connector in which themovement of the clamping element produces a I plurality of conductor clamping forces acting in a plurality of directions.

. Another object of this invention is to provide a solderless connector in which movement of the clamping element produces a movement of the cable receiving portion in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the element to produce a lateral conductor clamping force.

Another object of the invention is to provide a solderless connector in which the conductor clamping element is supported by the strands of the conductor and by an inclined side of the connector to prevent bending of the clamping stud.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and the appended drawing illustrating certain preferred embodiments of the invention in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector with a relatively large cable clamped therein. Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cable receiving portion of the connector. N

Figure 4 is a modified view of the connector according to the invention but using another form of clamping means.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 4.

The connector I, as illustrated in the drawing, includes a main cable receiving body portibn formed of a single length conducting strap roughly U-shaped in cross section and having a longitudinally extending slot 2 in the base 3 thereof; one side 4 of the cable receiving body portion is transversely curved to receive the terminal portion oi. the cable, and the opposite side 5 forms an obtuse angle with the base 3 and is longitudinally curved for engagement with the edge of the cable clamping element. A stud 8 is threaded into a terminal plate I carried by a switch or other electrical device to which the connector is to be attached, and extends through the slot 2 and carries a clamping nut I upon its outer extremity. The upper edge of side l is cut away as at 9 to provide clearance for the clamping nut O in its passage into the space between the walls 4 and 5.

Upon the insertion of a cable terminal end and the rotation of the clamping nut 8, a lower flange ll of said clamping nut engages with the longi- 5 tudinally curved side' 5, whereupon a continued downward movement of the nut causes the entire cable receiving portion to move to the left as viewed in Figure 2. This transverse movement of the cable receiving portion causes the 10 v side 4 to force the cable strands against the stud 6 to secure a clamping pressure in a direction transverse to the axis of stud 6. A clamping pressure parallel to the axis of said stud 6 is provided in the direct clamping of the cable between 15 the base 3 and the clamping nut 8. Not only does the engagement of the nut 8 with the side 5 provide for movement of the cable receiving portion, but said engagement with the side 5 also serves as a support for the clamping nut to thereby les- 20 sen or prevent the application 01. a bending force upon the clamping stud 6 when a cable terminal end is clamped within the connector.

The modification depicted in Figures 4 and 5 shows the connector I cooperatingwith a washer 25 h'ead stud I 2 to clamp a cable terminal end of extremely small diameter within the connector, with the cable terminal end secured entirely by the clamping pressure supplied between the base 3 and the washer head stud l2. It is to be un- 30 derstood that though the modification of Figures 4 and 5 is depicted with a small diameter cable terminal end secured therein, a cable terminal end of relatively large diameter can be-clamped therein with the washer head st hd l2 cooperat- 35 ing with the concave interior face of side 5 in the same manner and with the same results as when the inverted stud and clamping nut I are used. The preferred embodiment can also carry a variety of cable terminal ends, the cables of 40 small diameter being secured in place by a direct clamping pressure between the base 3 and the locking nut 8.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it is 45 understood that the lnventionis .not limited. thereto and is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims:

What is claimed is: 50

1. An electrical connector of the .solderless type comprising a body portion generally U-shaped in cross section and having an elongated opening in the base thereof, a stud extending through said elongated opening and into the space between rected obliquely outwardly from the base and be-' ing longitudinally curved and the side opposite being transversely curved with its free end directed generally toward the axis of the stud for the reception of a cable terminal end, said clamping means being adapted to exert a clamping pressure on said cable terminal end between said base and clamping means and further having a circular surface cooperating with said longitudinally curved side to move the entire body portion transversely thereby causing the transversely curved side to urge the cable terminal end against the stud under the clamping action of the clamping means to apply an additional and transverse pressure to said cable terminal end.

2. An electrical connector of the solderless type comprising a generally U-shaped body portion having an elongated opening in the base thereof and one leg inclined outwardly from said base, saidleg being longitudinally curved, the leg opposite said inclined leg being transversely curved with its free end directed generally inwardly, a stud extending through said elongated opening and into the space between said legs, a nut carried by said stud, the space between the stud and the transversely curved leg serving for reception of a cable to be connected, said nut exerting a clamping pressure upon said cable between said nut and said base parallel to the axis of the stud and further having a circular surface slidably en gaging said longitudinally curved inclined leg to cause it to move away from the stud as the nut moves toward the base to thus move the entire body portion whereby the rounded leg forces the cable transversely against the stud under the clamping action of the nut.

3. An electrical connector of the solderless type, comprising a cable receiving body portion having a base with an elongated opening therein, and a pair of upstanding sides, clamping means associated with said elongated opening adapted to exert pressure to clamp a cable terminal end against said base, one of said sides being transversely curved with its free end directed generally toward the axis of the clamping means to receive the cable terminal end inserted between said side and the clamping means, at least the central portion of the upper edge of said side being cut away to provide clearanceior a portion of said clamping means as it is manipulated to clamp a cable terminal end within the connector, the opposite side of said body portion being inclined with respect to the axis of the clamping means and cooperating with a surface'on the clamping means to effects. transverse movement of the body portion relative to the clamping means to force the cable terminal end through the transversely curved side against the clamping means to apply a transverse clamping pressure as well as a direct clamping pressure upon the cable terminal end within the connector.

4. An electrical connector of the solderless type comprising a body portion generally U-shaped in cross section and having an elongated opening in the base thereon, a stud extending through said elongated opening and into the space between the sides of said body portion, a clamping means carried by said stud, one of said sides being directed obliquely outwardly from the base and being longitudinally curved and the side opposite being transversely curved with its free end directed generally toward the axis of said stud for the reception of a cable terminal end, at least the central part of the extreme free edge of said transversely curved side being cut away to provide clearance for a portion on said clamping means, said clamping means being adapted to exert a clamping pressure on said cable terminal end between said base and clamping means and further having a circular surface cooperating with 'said leg being longitudinally curved, the leg op-' posite said inclined leg being transversely curved with its free end directed generally inwardly, a stud extending through said elongated opening and into the space between said legs, a nut car-.

ried by said stud, the space between the stud and the rounded leg serving for reception of a cable to be connected, at least the central part of the extreme free edge of said transversely curved leg being cut away to provide a clearance for a portion on said nut, said nut exerting a clamping pressure upon said cable between said nut and said base parallel to the axis of the stud and further having a circular surface slidably engaging said longitudinally curved inclined leg to cause it to move away from the stud as the nut moves toward the base to thus move the entire body portion whereby the rounded leg forces the cable transversely against the stud under the clamping action of the nut.

6. An electrical connector of the solderless type comprising a cable receiving body portion having a base with an elongated opening therein and upstanding sides, clamping means including a stud portion extending through the elongated opening in the base and into a conducting element, the space between one of said sides and said stud serving for the reception of a cable terminal end to be connected, the opposite side being inclined relative to the axis of the stud and being longitudinally curved, the clamping means being adapted to directly contact the cable terminal end to force it against the base of the connector and said clamping means having a circular surface cooperating with the longitudinally curved inclined side to effect transverse movement of'the connector to force the cable terminal end against the stud to provide a transverse as well as a direct clamping pressure upon the cable terminal end.

' WALLACE T. ALLEN. 

